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Apple sells 9 million new iPhones on opening weekend

Apple has revealed it sold 9 million new iPhones over the weekend, smashing the previous opening weekend sales record set by the iPhone 5 last year.

The figure represents the combined efforts of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, with Apple not offering a breakdown of which device sold best.

However, according to marketing firm Localytics, the iPhone 5s outsold the iPhone 5c by more than three to one.

The surge in sales may have been helped by Apple launching both the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c in China on the same day as traditional key territories. This is the first time it’s made such a move in the world’s fastest growing smartphone market.

In a statement, CEO Tim Cook said: “The demand for the new iPhones has been incredible, and while we’ve sold out of our initial supply of iPhone 5s, stores continue to receive new iPhone shipments regularly.

"We appreciate everyone’s patience and are working hard to build enough new iPhones for everyone.”

However, the truth about the iPhone 5s and 5c’s success won’t be fully known until Apple reveals its quarterly sales figures for the three months up to Christmas.

These won’t be revealed until early 2014. But if demand is sustained, talk of Apple’s demise will have been somewhat overstated.

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